The Irish standard., 1887-10-15
"OUR MARY"

"OUR MARY"
BE ye the lady a'wantin' guyrl!'
Hooked up with q start.
The speaker stood in my hallway.
''Av'ye plase, I'm Mary McCart,
An me co'sin beyant in the Bayhive
Waz teltin' az me today,
Ye be wantin help, SO l fought Ia step in,
AS chanced to nc pas'in' this way
stcadicd myself by Ted's cradle,
Night and day ia watched Ger that child,
Hoping and doubling and fearing,
Till it seemed must go wild.
Only desperate mother
Half-crazed with worry and care,
Can know how welcome to ME was the form
That saw in the doorway there
"Well, Mary" said I, without preface,
II don't know how we'll you can Go,
But YOU see how it is here-this baby,
They say, cnn not live the day through
If you have the heart OF 81 woman,
Or the least spark OF pity can feel,
Hang your hat on the nail there and do up my
work.
Says Mary; ''All right, ma'an, we'el.''
This was Maryso cheerful! and willing,
She did as she liked a few days.
All knew was the children took to her
and were loud in proclaimny her praise.
When the terrible crisis WAS over,
And Ted began Slowly to mend,
'Twas then discovered her merits,
For Ted was a HARD child to tend.
Tired, Nlary?'' SO often I've asked her
When, the kitchen ali tidy and nate''-
Sued don her fine hat with bright roses,
To''s1hep down forms, Oh the strute.''
No matter how great the days trials
HOW hard she had ,oed or how long,
,rne answer was always forthcoming:
''Nle tired? Oh. no, lna'aln, I'm stnrong."
kept Mary years. Ed ber yonng strength
Was checrfui!y used st my need;
/ found her, il sunshine shadow,
True and loya--a treasure indeed.
Whcn John went West, ali the children
At first refused slcutly to so,
For May wouldn't leave massachusetts
With her poor SEQ SIM ailing, you know.
We didn't forget ilary, however,
And, OF course, when came East l went
With presents the children had sent.
For minute the girl did not know me-
She was tending her dead cousins boy
But when she saw clearly il was an old friend
She burst out s-clying for joy.
twas hard for her tending that baby.
And taking in washing as we'll;
L really felt sor,y for Mary,
wished S}a u,io-,,t ;eSt ,,D n smell
told John thought we should help her
B.t Jol1,,--welI, john said that he knew
Mary must have sum out at interest,
Perhaps 81 cool thousand Or two.
/ wish + d insisted. John always
Gives in to me, aft"r a whlc--
But I'll own fell III with the notion
That Mary had snug pile
She was firm, 700. about that poor baby
1t WAS the dead cousins request
She should care for the chid-or else am sure
We'd have taken her back with Us West.
Ted, our baby. was just entering college,
When we came to New England ''for goods"
And soon | made search for "Our Mary
AS always had T)iEnned that would.
Time flies, and knew she was aging
Was quite an Old woman, in truth
And knew she couldnt choose places
The same as she did in her youth.
All, wei! suppose it is natural
To be careless OF service that's past;
But This fact gave me small consolation
When got news FROM Mary ut last.
Even John felt condemned, when twas told
him
That Mary used CIT TO lament
Over being transferred to the almshouse
Who're foreign-born paupers were sent.
She wasn't sick long, just worn out like"
They said, and the child had died first.
1t was well-to have left the poor orphan
Would have troubled our Mary the worst.
John saw that they both had 81 headstone,
And their graves are well cared for each
year,
Yet never can think Of poor Mary
Without sharp retnorse and tear.
To-day there nre many stout Marys,
Running trcless at each beck and call,
Giving freely their Young lives in service
Their faithful devotion, their all.
Whenever hear thoughtless women
Their sel wants begin to berate.
tell them of one faithful servant
Whose true worth I saw when TOO late.
Boston Globe